EXCLUSIVE | Veteran police officer speaks out on Omotoso case

DIKENI – A former policeman, who was part of the investigating team that led to the televangelist’s arrest, has made these shocking revelations.

Speaking exclusively to Ronald Masinda, veteran police officer, Phindile Zweni, says the Nigerian pastor used his power and money to get away with some serious crimes.

Phindile Zweni says Timothy Omotoso lived a lavish lifestyle in prison.                                                                                        

Zweni said, “What I noted in his cell was that Omotoso was receiving a five-star treatment at St Alban’s Prison. St Alban’s Prison is known for its corruption.” 

“He had a phone, he had television, he had everything. He didn’t eat any food that was prepared for inmates that was in Medium B. I didn’t just visit him once I visited Omotoso a lot of times.”

Zweni, who started his career as a police officer in 1978, began investigating Omotoso in 2015.

He also made damning allegations about Omotoso planning to escape from custody.

He said, “At one stage, a firearm was intercepted on its way to Omotoso because he wanted to escape what happened after that we don’t know but I was the one that informed the commissioner at St Albans’.”

While awaiting trial, Timothy Omotoso was living the life with luxuries in prison, included TVs, cellphone access and private visits in his cell.

READ: Omotoso rape trial | NPA criticised over trial outcome

Omotoso’s acquittal alongside his co-accused Lusanda Sulani and Zukiswa Sitho, who faced rape, racketeering and human trafficking charges, is still a subject of public debate.

The Department of Correctional Services denies these allegations.

While some of its staff were members of Omotoso’s church, the department has refuted claims that Omotoso received preferential treatment. 

Correctional Services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said, “As a department, we were alerted to some sort of allegations around Mr. Omotoso’s admission, which then proved that those allegations were no closer than reality.” 

“And we made it a point that stringent measures were in place. And even screening the officials that would ensure that Timothy Omotoso was kept due to the fact that we found out that even some of the officials were attending his church services before his incarceration. We made it a point that the members of his church needed to make it a point to avoid any conflict that members of his church would not work in that section.”

Zweni says the acquittal has prompted him and a team of investigators to open an NPO which looks at Gender-Based Violence cases.